Anthurium hybrid.
xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
This inventions relates to a new and distinct cultivar of anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Favorita.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Altha, Fla. The objective of the program was to develop a vigorous, well branching pot Anthurium cultivar resistant to Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae, with attractive foliage and orange spathes. The new Anthurium was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1998 as a seedling within the progeny of a cross made in 1995 in a controlled environment in Altha, Fla. The female parent was a proprietary Anthurium seedling selection identified by the code number 91-11-48, obtained by the Inventor in the same breeding program, not patented. The male parent was a selected clone of Anthurium hybrid cultivar Lady Jane identified by the code number 941, not patented.
Asexual propagation of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99, since 1998, by means of tissue culture in Altha, Fla. has established that the unique characteristics of this new cultivar are in fact stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Anthurium cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and/or horticultural practices such as temperature, light intensity, day length, fertilization, irrigation, propagation procedures etc., without any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of pot Anthurium:
1. Medium size plant, appropriate for 15-cm to 20-cm containers;
2. Symmetrical, rounded and full growth habit;
3. Vigorous growth;
4. Early and abundant branching;
5. Early, abundant and year-round flowering;
6. Relatively large, glossy and exceptionally dark green leaf blades;
7. Spathes very glossy, orange-red, especially when young, and maintaining color relatively well;
8. Spathes held directly above foliage, on straight, strong and relatively thick peduncles;
9. Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae. 
Plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the female parent, a proprietary Anthurium seedling selection identified by the code number 91-11-48, by its smaller size; earlier and more abundant branching; earlier flowering; smaller, darker green and glossier leaf blades; spathes smaller, flatter and more horizontal, held closer to foliage, glossier and orange-red as opposed to dark pink-red spathes of seedling 91-11-48; and straight pink-purple spadices as opposed to curved, dark purple spadices of 91-11-48.
Plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the male parent, a selected clone of Anthurium hybrid cultivar Lady Jane identified by the code number 941, by its more vigorous growth, earlier flowering; longer leaf blades; spathes more ovate, wider, with lower length:width ratio, orange-red in color and held above foliage as opposed to dark pink spathes of Lady Jane # 941, often held among foliage; and by pink-purple spadices as opposed to pinkish-cream spadices of Lady Jane #941.
The new cultivar can be compared to its siblings, cultivars: xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99 U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/960,456 and xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/960,455. The comparisons were made on plants of the same age, grown side-by-side under the same greenhouse conditions in Altha, Fla.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Salsa in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 start branching earlier and flower more abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
2. Foliage of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 is taller than foliage of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
3. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are darker green than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99.
4. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are smaller, held closer to foliage and are orange-red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99 are dark pink-red.
5. Spadices of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are pink-purple, whereas spadices of xe2x80x98Salsaxe2x80x99 are cream-colored.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Valentine in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are larger, branch less abundantly and have slightly more open growth habit than plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 start flowering earlier, but flower less abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
3. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are larger, darker green and glossier than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
4. Peduncles of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are thicker, stronger and longer than peduncles of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are held closer to foliage, are larger and have shorter longevity on the plant than spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are orange-red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are deep red.
7. Spadices of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are pink-purple, whereas spadices of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are cream-colored.
The new cultivar can be compared to the known Anthurium cultivars: xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99, not patented and xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,355, a/k/a/ Red Hot(trademark). The comparisons were made on plants of the same age, grown side-by-side under the same greenhouse conditions in Altha, Fla.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Orange Hot in the following characteristics:
1. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are larger and darker green than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99.
2. Inflorescences of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are of good quality from the onset of flowering, whereas several first spathes produced by plants of xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99 are very small and deformed.
3. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are held closer to foliage on thicker, stronger and more vertical peduncles than spathes of xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99.
4. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are almost horizontal, flat and non-puckered, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99 are oblique and slightly puckered.
5. Young spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are glossier, have a brighter, more distinct orange-red color than young spathes of xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99 and maintain color and gloss longer.
6. Spadices of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are straight, whereas spadices of xe2x80x98Orange Hotxe2x80x99 are usually curved.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar 75-10 in the following characteristics:
1. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are larger and darker green than leaf blades of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.
2. Inflorescenes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are of a good quality from the onset of flowering, whereas several first spathes produced by plants of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are very small and deformed.
3. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are held closer to foliage on thicker, stronger and more vertical peduncles than spathes of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.
4. Peduncles of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are brownish green, whereas peduncles of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are dark purple.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are orange-red, almost horizontal, flat and non-puckered, whereas spathes of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are red, oblique and slightly puckered.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 maintain color and gloss longer than spathes of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.
7. Spadices of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are straight and pink-purple, whereas spadices of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are usually curved and dark purple.